It is known in the field of electronics that grouping of electronic device components into functionally integrated modules can help to reduce the time required for defective component replacement, which yields a shorter down time for repair of such a modular device. Modular component design is particularly desirable for electronic devices that are used in production lines, due to the increased production rates that may be achieved as a result of reduced maintenance time.
In charged particle beam processing devices and the like, it is not straightforward to implement the modular principle. The main reason for this is that the various particle beam generation and manipulation stages (e.g. beam source, collimator, beam splitter, beam blanker, beam stopper, beam deflector, and lens elements) cooperate to form and control the beams that traverse each of these stages. A computer designer mainly deals with issues relating to data/signal exchange between the modules, power requirements, electromagnetic compatibility, and thermal management. Applying the modular principle in beam processing devices is substantially more complicated, because in addition to the above, one also needs to take into account beam alignment issues, field calibration, and mechanical (de-)coupling between the modules. Furthermore, as all components work together to manipulate the same particle beams, it is not straightforward to identify the preferred groups of components that should form the modules in such a way as to obtain an optimal balance between high beam alignment accuracy (less separation into modules), and high maintenance efficiency (more modules).
International patent application WO2013/037486 discusses positioning and planar alignment of various projection modules in a carrier frame of a beam exposure system, to form a thermally stabilized aligned projection column from vertically stacked modules.
However, WO2013/037486 does not disclose a detailed configuration for a projection module, and does not provide a solution for connectivity of various conduits that supply and discharge signals and fluids to and from such a projection module (e.g. a projection lens arrangement).